Could it be Starpoints?

In November 2015, Marriott and Starwood announced they would be merging, and since then I know a number of Insiders have been speculating on what the upcoming combined loyalty program might look like. Now if you don't like the speculating game, by all means feel free to let this thread drop off the bottom of the page.

However if you're interested, I invite you to consider what would happen if Marriott decided to use Starpoints as currency in the combined loyalty program instead of Marriott Rewards points.

What would happen to all those Marriott Rewards points that are still out there?

How would this affect award redemptions?

How would this change elite status achievements?

Why would Marriott even think of changing its loyalty currency anyway?

I'm guessing that the fine folks currently working on the combined loyalty program specifics have had to consider at least some of these questions. What do you think?

I think I would have to review the entire portfolio of changes to the merger of the rewards programs, not just the reward/star points/currency, but also the redemption policy, earnings policy, use policy, redemption levels of properties, lifetime status, upgrades, etc. I don't think you can separate this simply as a points issue. So once I know a little more about the complete enchilada, then I will comment.

A decision will have to be made soon. Whatever is decided there will be losers because when currencies are changed inevitably prices are rounded up not down. Ask the people of Spain, France, Italy, Portugal etc what happened when they joined the euro. The redemption rates will all go up, maybe initially by only a small amount but they will go up. One of the cleverest frauds ever, involved someone fixing a banks computer programme to round up all transactions to the nearest 10 pence and transferring the odd coppers to a different account. It was months before anyone noticed by which time the fraudsters had got away with millions.

I think one way or another a decision needs to be made and they need to let their customers know. The united/continental merger happened years ago and there are still system issues that come up that are blamed on that merger such as how reservations are separated for the upgrade list. It will be interesting to see what happens but I think at the end of the day upgrades etc will be fewer and far between due to more platinum etc people.

I am really interested in how this all settles out. I purchased Starwood timeshares before Starwood sold off the timeshare business (It became Vsitana), like Marriott did with their timeshare business. After Marriott purchased Starwood I talked with a Vistana sales rep and was told that when Vistana was spun off they got a 99 year license to the SPG brand. Since this was before the Marriott purchase I am assuming Marriott had to accept that as part of the purchase terms. Vistana is still converting Vistana time share points to SPG points an even allowing the use of Vistana points to direct book SPG hotels.

I have a hard time believing Marriott would change their branding to Starwood. They didn't pay 13 billion to weaken the Marriott branding. It will be interesting what happens at the end of 2018 with the points program and how long, if ever, they integrate both programs into one.

I can imagine that Marriott would try a middle-of-the-road approach. It might become Marriott Starpoints in the Marriott Star Rewards program (or: MSR for short).

If that's the case, it might not be so much conincidence that the accronym is shared with Microsoft Research (would explain why the websites are so buggy: we're being guinea-pigged on!), Mid-Season Replacement (nice nickname for the upcoming merger) or Mining Software Repositories (because, it's the future and there is money to be made with us!)

But before I fall back into a Douglas Adams-esque spiral (jeeeezzz, all that a Visa card termination can trigger is already enough for Insiders), I think that that there are a lot of well-(over)paid people working on something that will unite the two communities rather than empty the last jug of fuel on the fire on the already-existing list of complaints and fears. Members (loyal clients) need to be schmoozed into confidence, shareholders need to be satisfied; they can't go wrong on this one!

The gossip here may be entertaining, but will most likely not change the outcome.